Hurricanes hooker Dane Coles will face a New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) misconduct hearing following his weekend arrest for disorderly behaviour.
Coles was found "heavily intoxicated" by police and became aggressive when they offered him a lift home in Paraparaumu on Saturday night, The Dominion Post reported today.
The 22-year-old has been remanded on bail and is due to appear in Porirua District Court next month.
NZRU general manager of professional rugby Neil Sorensen said Coles would front a hearing this week, similar to what Highlanders Fetu'u Vainikolo underwent last week following an alcohol-related incident.
Vainikolo was fined $1000 and suspended for one match, an outcome which would hurt the Hurricanes if Coles suffers the same fate ahead of Friday's Super 14 match against the Crusaders in Christchurch.
All Blacks hooker Andrew Hore is still recovering from a lingering foot injury, although he has yet to be ruled out of selection contention.
Otherwise inexperienced wider training squad player Ged Robinson would probably wear the No 2 jersey, with prop Jacob Ellison his likely backup.
Robinson made his Super 14 debut off the bench against the Highlanders last Friday, playing the last 20 minutes.
